1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a game machine having a controller, such as a microcomputer, to control the game aspect. More particularly, this invention relates to a game machine which has a variable display for displaying a plurality of symbols in a variable manner.
2. Related Art
In the game machine with such a variable display, prize is generally determined by a random sampling. Prizes given to a player based on the prize determination has various modes. For example, slot machine has a small hit mode, besides the regular game mode, which offers a small hit prize. Small hit occurs when a prescribed combination of symbols appears on the variable display during the regular game. With a small hit, a given number of coins are returned to the player.
There is also a medium hit mode to offer a medium hit prize. The game in this mode is called a normal bonus game (referred to as N.B game). Normal bonus (N.B) game takes place when a prescribed combination of symbols, which differ from the small hit symbol combination, appears on the display during the regular game. With a medium hit, the player can play an extra game called a "bonus game" once. The bonus game is composed of a set of several rounds of high bonus games.
There is also a big hit mode which offers a big hit prize. The game in this mode is called "big bonus game" (referred to as B.B game). This takes place when a prescribed combination of symbols, which is different from small or medium prize symbol combinations, appears on the variable display. With a B.B game, player can play several sets of regular games in which the small hit occurs with a high probability and the bonus game mentioned above.
The regular games in the B.B game are played several times before the game shifts to the bonus game. During the regular games in the B.B game, the small hit occurs with a high probability. A given number of coins are returned to the player every time the small hit symbol combination appears on the variable display. The player will finally win a number of coins with the B.B game. If none of these prize modes occurs during the game, the game is a non-prize mode and the player cannot win the game.
However, in the conventional game machine, the small hit, which occurs in the regular game of the B.B game with a high probability, is determined in the same combination of symbols as the small hit in the ordinary regular game. That is, even when the game shifts from the regular game to the B.B game, there is no variation in the prize composition using the same small hit mode until the game shifts to the bonus game. Variety and excitement were not satisfactory in the game flow of the conventional game machine.